Dulce et Decorum est Pro Patria Mori
by Lady Water Mirror
Summary: When Mina Murry went to Cairo to retrive Allan Quartermain and Amelia Peabody and Co., she could have no idea of just how strange an affair she was getting herself into... It's LXG rewritten. Abandoned for now...
1. Chapter 1

Really, I'm shocked that no one has worked on this idea before. I mean, the impressionable Victorian age just wouldn't be the same without our favorite Amelia Peabody. And if you haven't read the books (shame on you!) I'll try to be as explanatory as possible. Based on the comic book, not the movie and set just at the end of MPM's book 'The Snake, The Crocodile And The Dog'. I own nothing. Boohoo.

Chapter 1:

Mina Murray wandered the streets of old Cairo in a fairly disturbed state of mind. One must do all one can for our loving world power Great Britain but...she had already done her share for her country and the world and it certainly hadn't gotten her very far. In fact she was rather worse off. This mysterious 'M' as he called himself now wanted her to recruit three famous personages who had been in the Illustrated London News numerous times and should have been easy to find. Captain Nemo had unknowingly dropped her off in a deserted bazaar in old Cairo where there were no Europeans to be found. Professor and Mrs. Emerson has been at an archaeological site known as Tell El Amarna, but had recently returned and were staying at the famed Shepherds Hotel. The other however, was in a much less reputable spot that she was searching for now.

She could recall that day so well. A rare sunny day in London England, near the wharves with all their sailors and fishmongers where the stench of fish could be smelled right up to the high dock where the carriage was taking her. There was a plain looking (if corpulent) gentleman waiting there, she assumed it must be the prestigiousMoriarty who had contacted her not a month before. He introduced himself, and repeated the plea he had made in his letter.

"Your country needs you Miss Murray."

She didn't know why such a sentiment should affect her so. In the grand scheme of things, what had her country really done for her? After her incident the year previous it had taken all her strength just to find a job as a music teacher and earn far less than any man would have deserved just to support herself. And yet, that famous mantra echoed in her head. _Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori._ It is sweet and seemly to die for ones country.

With a sigh she turned and resignedly asked, "What is it you need me to do?"

Moriarty grinned and pulled out a vile cigar. "Well, first of all we need you to recruit three people for our little group before you are to be given further orders. We will be sending you to Cairo with one of your future colleagues to find Allan Quartermain, Professor Radcliffe Emerson and his wife Amelia Peabody. You will then return to England with them and be given further instruction." With that he handed her a package of information and sent her away with Captain Nemo.

The remembrance of it made her sigh again. What a fool I am to take on such a role as this. I swore that I would henceforth lead an ordinary life, and here I am, searching for an opium addict and two egyptological eccentrics. She was thrust back into reality by a jostling _fellahin_ seling fake scarabs. She brushed him away and looked more closely at her surroundings.

She would ask for directions, but unfortunately she knew only enough to say hello and complain that prices were too high. She had refuted Nemo's suggestion that she employ a dragoman, but now rather wished she had.She was certainly getting some odd looks, and recognized one word, _Inglizi_ being spoken quite often. _Inglizi_. English. It seems that these repugnant Arabs are more observant than the nation gives them credit for.

As she reached yet another dark alleyway she prepared to turn around, but stopped as she saw a familiar inscription. She checked the notes that Moriarty had given her. Yes, this was the place. Rather unclean looking, but she trusted her buisness in it would not take very long.

As she pulled back the curtain in the doorway thehideous stench of opium nearly made her recoil. _Why on Earth am I doing this...?_ Mina wondered and walked as dignified as one may walk into a den of iniquity.

Mr. Quartermain was easily spotted, being the only European in residence, but the weathered man she say was a far cry from the imposing form she had expected. Luckily there were only him and the proprietor of the place there, and he at least was definately in his dreamlike state, lying on the floor with his turbaned head propped up on a chair.

"Mr. Quartermain, I am Wilhelmina Murray." she began, "I come as a representative from the British council. Your country needs you Mr. Quartermain." _Could I have been any more like Moriarty?_ she wondered. Quartermain looked at her disinterestedly with reddened eyes and said something to her in Arabic.

"You must understand Mr. Quartermain, your country-" She cut off and tried to see who had entered the establishment so surreptitiously. Though she was sure she heard someone, she did not see anyone else in the room. Mina turned back to Quartermain and began to resume, but gasped as she felt a strong arm grab her from behind.

There were two natives there in dirty _galabeeyehs_ who thrust her to the ground and seemed to be searching rather violently for any posessions she might have. Mina fought against them, as the one man grabbed her throat, forgetting dignity and screaming for help. In the background she thought she heard Quartermain say something, but only realized he was on her side when he slowly sat up and pulled the gun from his own _galabeeyah._ Before she knew what was happening, the sound of a gunshot echoed in her ears and saw the blood of the dead _fellahin_ running down her chest. Forcing her eyes away, Mina scrambled up and dragged Quartermain out into the _suk._

Quartermain seemed very weak, and Mina nearly had to carry him through the _suk,_ trying to ignore the enthralling scent of the blood on her dress. She was breathing heavily by the time she reached the tourist area of Cairo, and Quartermain let out a wordless grunt of alarm. Looking behind her, Mina saw a score of _felahin_ running after them, a number of which were carrying daggers and pistols. None looked very benevolent.

"Hurry Mr. Quartermain, we must hurry! I have a friend waiting in the wharves, he can-" There she stopped as they reached the end of the dock and looked out into the wide expanse of the Nile, with the Nautilus nowhere in sight.

* * *

Ha Ha, cliffie! I do so love them. I'm going away for a week tomorrow, but I will try to continue as fast as I can when I get back. Please tell me what you think! All suggestions/critcism welcome.If you want me to write faster some reviews would be a little incentive... 

For those of you not up to date on your Arabic:

_Felahin_: A common Egyptian man

_Dragoman_: An Egyptian guide and translator (spoke Arabic and a European language)who was employed by European tourists to show them the sights.

_Galabeeyah_: A common robe.

_Suk_: The marketplace.


	2. Chapter 2

Warning: Some spoilers for tStCatD!

Chapter 2:

This was not the first time that I had cause to resent my son's impetuosity. Really, much strife could have been avoided had Ramses enough sense to know when he was neither wanted nor needed and that his parents could survive without him. It was all because of Ramses that we were near the wharves that brilliantly sunny day at the end of the season where, had we not been in such a convenient location, we would have quietly returned to Amarna.

Then again, it might have happened anyhow.

This egyptological season was by far the most taxing that I could remember, all of which was caused by three male persons of whom I ought to have expected to cause trouble, though not on such a large scale.

The originator of this strife originated with my spouse Radcliffe Emerson, the preeminent egyptologist of this, or any other age. His fearsome temper had caused him to be named Father of Curses (which he well deserved) by our admiring Egyptian workmen in combination with his extremestubborness had contributed greatly this taxing in Luxor he was taken prisoner by an enemy of his known as Schlange. This was not so extraordinary in itself, but for one feature; that all his reccolection of the past 13 years was lost. I have rarely had worse moments in my life than when our _Reis_ Abdullah and I crept into the foul kennel where he was kept, not even knowing whether he still yet lived. These recollections still pain me. Yet, I am sure I would have triumphed easily over the impediment of Emerson's faulty memory had it not been for Cyrus Vandergelt, one whom I thought was a great friend.

Cyrus ensured that we would be kept apart, and though I did not at that time realise, he plotted to have Emerson disposed of by Schlange. This vital step 'on which I must fall down, or else o'erleap' was conquered and I was certain that my life would resume its natural course, when I recieved the letter.

Ramses and Gargery were coming. I had decided not to ask exactly how Ramses had persuaded our butler to accompany him to Egypt, but they were both sure that we required asistance. Emerson's responses to Ramses overly longwinded letters were not forth coming because of the aforementioned problems and I am certain that the entire family was frantic with worry when his disappearance was noted in the papers. Despite the family's own problems in London, as soon as he was sure that everyone there would come to no harm Ramses rushed off on the next ship to Egypt, against my direct order.

In the anticipation of meeting them (and most likely sending them back as soon as possible) Emerson and I abandoned our excavations in Amarna and were then waiting at the major port in Cairo for the anticipated ship. Even though it was early in the season to close down our excavations Emerson was anxious to see his family, and I admit that the idea of a rest from our work was congenial to me.

The steamer came in half an hour later that it was meant to and Ramses and Gargery were the first to be seen rushing onto the dock. I observed with some surprise that Ramses was now almost of the same height as Gargery (which is not so grand a feat in itself) and that he had a more distinguished resemblance to his handsome sire.

We had only a moment to greet them and try to answer their many questions and frankly ridiculous comments. Gargery was fervently describing how he would have been of assistance to us ( "Oi could 'ave watched over you Sir and Ma'am, you would 'ave been safer with us than 'ere alone, you would.") when he was shoved in the back by a woman covered in blood and supporting an old man.

They made an extremely strange pair. Despite the blood and a hideous scarf draped around her neck the woman was a perfect model of an aristocratic lady while her companion was gaunt and haggard anddressed like an (impoverished) Egyptian. He also reeked rather horribly of opium.

I was at first at a loss as to why they should be in such a hurry, until I looked in the direction from which they had come. A literal swarm of angry Egyptians werecoming up behind them; carrying weapons and yelling obscenities in Arabic. It was a rather fearsome crowd and I could not blame them for running away. Even before I could point this out to Emerson he was running to stop the crowd before they reached the pair who were standing on the edge of a neighboring dock, looking rather forlorn at the comparitivelyempty river. Naturally I followed Emerson, and Ramses and Gargery quickly followed as well.

The crowd must have been extremely angry, for they ignored Emerson's protests (and extreme temper) and pushed against him to reach the figures on the dock. I rushed into the fray, parasol in hand to assist my dear Emerson when suddenly they were silent and stood gaping at something behind me in shock. I turned around and beheld one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen.

It was an enormous ship, a great monster of steel and iron that seemed to block out the sky. It was no normal ship however. The terrifying apparition was in the shape of a horrendous giant squid, and had the forbidding name _Nautilus_ carved into its side. A drawbridge creaked open and a giant of a man emerged, dressed in Indian garb and with a giant beard obscuring his features. At the sight of this man, the crowd's anger was resumed and they rushed forward, pushing us with them. The woman dropped her companion and rushed forward to push us to the side not a moment to soon. The Indian pulled out an enormous gun which shot out a stream of fire, instantly incinerating all that stood before it.

I am sure that we were all of us paralyzed with horror and were easily lead into the forbidding ship. I was in such a state of shock that I did not quite realize what had just occurred until I heard the metalic clang of the door as it shut behind us, locking us in.

I am ashamed to say that I rather lost my head at that moment. Emerson (and I, I must admit) shouted obscenities at these three strange figures and demanded to know what was going on while Gargery angrily shook his fist at the Indian and Ramses stared in fascination at the interior of the ship. The old man and the Indian just stared unabashedly at us, not even attempting to answer our questions. The woman, who introduced herself as Mina Murray, calmed us down and took us to a small sitting room.

"I am exceedingly glad that you were able to find us." Miss Murray began, "I was attempting to find you when Mr Quartermain and I-"

"Quartermain?" Emerson interrupted incredulously, "_That_ is Quartermain?"

The old man nodded sadly and quietly replied, "Yes. Quite different now I am afraid, Emerson."

Before I could enquire exactly how my husband and this strange man were acquainted, Miss Murray sighed and said, "I suppose that I aught to tell you how all this came about." And she began a strange tale of her trip to Egypt on behalf of a Mr Moriarty to 'collect' us for some unspecified purpose. "We are now going back to London, and I hope that you will join us. Your country needs you both." she concluded.

I was of half a mind to accept this offer, at least until we knew exactly what it was that we were doing. The sight of Ramses created my doubt however. He had been all too silent during this exchange, and I felt sure that he was already planning ways to accompany us. However, if he could be made to stay with his aunt and uncle...

"Certainly not!" shouted Emerson, "It is completely idiotic of this 'Moriarty' to presume to tell _me_ what to do. I have no obligation to do whatever he asks, nor do I plan to do it, and you will tell him that Miss Murray." He stood up and looked as though he was about to leave.

"But Emerson," I protested, "_Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori_ -"

"Bloody nonsense." He said, and without a further word walked out of the room.

* * *

Just a note, the quote that Amelia says is from Macbeth. You know. Just because I like it. Please review!


End file.
